I am making a hickory backed hickory stave longbow, I want to make it reflex deflex. I tapered the limb thickness from 3/4" at the handle to 1/2" at the tip. I am getting very little bend while trying to floor tiller. My question is about how much more limb thickness should have to come off before I would be able to get enough bend to glue the backing and put it in the reflex deflex jig?

How long is it? And are you going to use heat to induce the band's ?

It is 66" I was just going to glue it up and clamp it in the jig. I would like to heat bend it near the tips after it is glued and dried if it needs it.

If it will bend using a c-clamp, you can glue it into shape. Once the glue dries...it will not bend at all. :) Use a simple form and it's pretty easy...no heat needed.

Do not heat bend after glue up. Glue doesnt like that. No need to heat bend at all actually if you like BowAholic shows and glue the backing to the core while inducing deflex and reflex during glue up. Add a handle piece afterwards. The core wood needs to be 1/2" or less in order to make those bends. 1/2" of wood, with a 1/8" or less backing can make a 70 lb bow.

Pretapering the core from 1/2" at the center to 3/8 at the tips helps the core to take on a more even reflex during glue up and expedites the tillering process better than if the core is a consistent 1/2 thick from end to end, but it's not absolutely necessary.

It can be done other ways. It's just not as straightforward and accurate. For instance, early on, I flattened the backs of full staves, reduced their thickness enough to bend them while gluing on a backing. What a pain in the butt it was, but it worked... kinda.

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here